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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

The One With Ice Makers and Squeaky Cars #sol16

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. If you want to participate, you can link up at their Slice of Life Story Post on Tuesdays or you can just head on over there to check out other people's stories. For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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Last week, my husband asked me to get him a glass of water. I had just finished a few blog posts for a local family blog we write for and was headed to fold laundry. And I was thirsty too.

I opened the drawer to our freezer (we jut got a new fridge right after Christmas and it has the freezer on the bottom, which I'm still getting used to), and I scooped ice from the ice cube maker.

"I'm so glad we have an ice maker," I told my husband as I handed him the cup.

"I know, right?" he said.

When I was a kid, we didn't have a refrigerator with ice makers.

We filled the little plastic trays and carefully slid them into the freezer.

We twisted the little plastic trays and carefully shook the cubes into our cups.

We nestled the little plastic tray back on top of the others, glad to not have to refill it yet.

Having an ice maker was a luxury.

I folded the laundry and put on my coat, ready to take the dog out one last time before heading up to bed for the night.

"Go potty, Perdi." I tried coaxing her into hurrying up, but she always has to sniff and sniff and sniff around for the perfect spot.

Then a car turned down the street. It squealed as it rumbled by and made her head pop up. What's that she seemed to say.

I know that sound,

a belt is loose or worn or needs to be replaced.

But I haven't heard that sound in a long time.

I turned to look at our two cars sitting in the driveway. One is ten years old and the other six but we bought them new. We do the recommended maintenance and change the oil as close to on time as possible.

Having a new car is a luxury.

I'm happy to have these things in my life now...but happier to be able to recognize and be grateful for them. I can only hope my own kids grow up to have more than what they have now or at least to be able to appreciate what they have. But sometimes it's hard to appreciate when we don't know anything other than our lives, and kids have only lived a few years.

What I love about writing down stories and reading stories, is that we get to see into the lives of characters in the pages but at the same time see into our own lives. It becomes an opportunity to pause and reflect and appreciate what we have. Isn't that powerful? Just one example of how reading and writing can change the world.

Tomorrow I'm celebrating World Read Aloud Day with students around my district and at home. I'm so excited and love this celebration of literacy. Are you joining in?